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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Nicholas Long to Jethro Sumner
Long, Nicholas, ca. 1726-1797
June 09, 1781
Volume 15, Pages 476-477

COL. NICHOLAS LONG TO GENERAL SUMNER.

Halifax, June 9th, 1781.

Dr. Sir:

I just now received yours by express as also one by Mr. Boyd whom I have supplied with money agreeable to your request. Shall also send waggons accordingly; but as to fire arms, very few may be expected from this Quarter. The Enemy destroyed the Stocks, &c., of what I was getting in order.

I have not canvass to answer your demand, its true I have in care a small quantity of duck for which my receipt is given, and is purely reserved for the use of making overalls, &c. for General Greene's army. I have sent Steel to Mr. Tillery who will get axes made in order to supply your camp with that article.

You seem to limit me to a small number of artificers, which I

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think will be inadequate to furnishing the army with necessaries most essentially required, by which means supplies of various kinds such as depend on artificers to perform must be expected to come but slowly. However, its probable you may obtain many of those accoutrements from the Quarter-Master Genl. of the Militia, who, no doubt will carry on such business more extensively as I am apprehensive, he is unlimited as to numbers. The following is a Catalogue of various Soldiers employed as artificers, Waggoners, &c., under my direction, vizt:

Armourers
David Arnold 12 months man.
John Coleman 12 months man.
George Dillard 12 months man.
4 Black Smiths
Samuel Weldon 12 ditto
Samuel Williams 12 ditto
Levi Guthrie 12 ditto William
Campbell, a Contl. Soldier. 12 ditto
Artificers 9 in wood
Thomas Cullum Cartouch Box Maker, 12 months
John Fitzgerald, Gunstocker 12 months
Zachary Dillard, ditto 12 months
James Sykes ditto 12 months
Peter Robertson & Henry Overstreet. have excellent negroes for getting gun stocks, &c, sawing, carpentertering, &c. 12 months
Joshua Gamon, Canteen maker 12 months
Joshua Jones ditto 12 months
George Smith ditto 12 months
3 Taylors in camp.
Spencer Snow 12 months man.
Mark Brown 12 months man.
George Ware, continental soldier.
Invalid
Thomas Tucker, ditto ditto.
Waggoners 9
William (name torn off) for 12 months
Dun Dunbar for 12 months
Willis Holmes for 12 months
William Parker for 12 months
Jno. Barrett for 12 months
Richard Stephens for 12 months
Solomon Gordon for 12 months
Julius Nichols Jr. for 12 months
George Aaron for 12 months
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Waggoners 11
Jno. Casey Old Contl. Soldier
William Reasoner Old Contl. Soldier
William Briant Old Contl. Soldier
Shoebill Clegghorn Old Contl. Soldier
Burwell Lucy Old Contl. Soldier
Will Taylor Old Contl. Soldier
William Williams Old Contl. Soldier
Peter Hessian Old Contl. Soldier
Daniel Foster, Whites Corps Old Contl. Soldier
——— Roberds, Lee's do. Old Contl. Soldier
One more man of Whites do Old Contl. Soldier

Express rider Samuel Taylor 12 months he is not capable of marching, finds himself a horse, and is a proper person for that business, and we have no money to expend for that purpose. I should be glad you let him return to me.

40 in all.

There are sundry persons who have agreed to furnish a particular number of shoes for their tour of 12 months, whose names I cannot at present give you, as my books, papers, &c. are not yet come to hand. A few others may be in the Quarter master's department, whose names are not remembered in the same account. I expect my papers down in a few days, and as soon as possible will make you a just return.

I am much in want of James White, William Rowland and Joshua Paddysaul; should be glad you would send them to my assistance. I think you have a number of men in camp that would render the public much more service in manufacturing necessaries, Arms, accoutrements, &c., than to be in the lines, and chief of their time in Idleness.

I have forgot waggon makers, &c., here is

James Faucett 12 months
John Kelly Continental.
James Amis Continental.
Jesse Lane Continental.
I am Dear Sir,
your humble servant,
NICHOLAS LONG, D. Q. M. G.